Catch Up!

It seems like there is never enough time in the day so the blog always seems to fall short.  I have a bunch of different things to catch up on before we can be up to date.
We went to Ocean City, MD with Jason's family right before Irene hit (we left on Tuesday but Jason's parents and sister stayed and actually were evacuated).  I don't have a ton of pictures from there but on the last night we were there the kids were playing on the boardwalk and they just were so much fun
Here they are playing Ring a round the rosie


Then they got playful... it looks like they are hitting each other but I promise they were not being mean to each other

 My Princess

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We broke out the play clothes again, they had been put away for a couple of months.  The kids loved them.
Spider-Man!

Buzz Lightyear

Princess Bella (in the Ariel bride dress)

She always looks pained in pictures.... She is a happy child, just doesn't like getting her picture taken

as Belle

If she is a princess then that makes me a queen, right??

Jack then got undressed and wanted to wear it again "all by myself"

You can see how well that worked out for him

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The kids both started "Tiny Tumblers" which is a gymnastics type class for 3 year olds.
I didn't get too many pictures but they both loved the class.  Bella is usually shy and I was afraid she would not participate but she went right up and followed everything her teacher did.  Jack could have led the class.  He loved it.  He did everything to the fullest.
Jack leaped off of things

and then the cutest part was when they had to do the "donkey kicks".  Basically they kick their back legs out and yell "he-haw".  Well kids kicked they legs out yelled "ye-haw" and declared themselves cowboys....
.

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At some point I have some birthday pictures and other ones but of course  I have to run for now :)

The Hellam Fair...

There is a really small fair around here that we took the kids to the other day.  It was really rinky dink and the highlight for the kids was the candy wheel.  This was a benefit to raise money for cancer so it was a win win.  We gave money to cancer and the kids won candy.

They then decided that the most fun thing was to run around Jason


Then I tried to get them to hug each other


Then they had to take a break to eat some of their candy winnings
This is Jack's "cheese" face, I have to figure out a better way to get him to smile

Bella admiring Jack's pretzel

Band Aids!!

If you really really want to get my kids excited all you need to do is mail them some band aids.  The other day I went to the mail box and there was a package for each child (which was huge because they were able to each open one).  We sang the mail song (from "Blue's Clues", which the kids are in love with) and then they opened up the mail.  There was a box of Cars band aids in Jack's and Princesses in Bella's.  They were so excited, they NEEDED some right then and there.  Jack then needed to call Grandmom because he was just that excited.
Of course I did not have my camera but here are some pictures from a post
card that Grandmom sent the kids.
Jack holding the postcard and a magnet (check out the band aid on his arm.... totally decoration)

Look he can use a magnet and hang it on the refrigerator  (he gets very excited about this)

"I DID IT!"

**I swear Jack normally is wearing clothes :)

Not much going on...

I have been really bad with taking pictures lately... Bella hates to get her picture taken... I just bring out the camera and she begins to cry.  It is kinda funny in a way but not funny enough that I want to take my camera out all the time.
Since I don't have any pictures of them I will share a funny story.  A week ago Sunday we were all home and were finishing up eating breakfast and we could smell that one of the kids had pooped.  So Jason said "Bella, did you poop?" and he looked in her diaper.  So Jack being the helpful boy he is said "Mommy, did you poop?" and pulled at the back of my pajama pants.  We just busted out laughing.

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I wanted to post some pictures for Grandmom to see.  I always admired the talent my Grandmother had and still has.  I often wondered how I could not have inherited any of her talent but in the past couple of years I finally struck my creativity and now every time I sit behind the sewing machine or pick up my crochet hook I think of her.  I just wanted to share some of my recent projects with her:
matching hat and diaper cover (more for picture props) for a friend

A Hello Kitty bag for Bella (with an extra big pocket in the front to put her Hello Kitty doll)

Matching mother/daughter tote bags for a friend

a headband for myself (it is reversible)

And finally what I am most excited about.  I bought a book to make a purse and here is my first attempt!

the inside

I made a matching zip tote for it but I need to continue to work on putting a zipper in.  I did that without a pattern and it did not come out that great.
So all of this is what I do for my stress relief :)

Camping....

This past weekend we went camping with some friends and family.  Jason's Aunt and Uncle own a campground up in northern PA and we always have a great time when we go there.  This year we met up again with my friend Stacy and her family (she has twins 3 months older than Jack and Bella).
Here they are last year:


and here they are this year (Bella still does not like getting her picture taken)

poor Bella...

Over the winter they put in a Splash Park which was just perfect for all of the kids






Bella looking to see where the water went









Jack and Bella goofing off at breakfast (if you look closely on the top of Bella's hair is a flower that we picked on out morning walk... because in her world flowers in the hair = princess)

Here they are just having fun and relaxing.... they all loved the golf carts






Then on our last night there Jason's cousins came over with their two boys.  By the end of the trip the kids really missed their TV so we put Toy Story on the Ipad and they were content

We had a great time (even though I am still exhausted)

I can sew :)

To most who read this blog this post might bore you but I just had to share this with my Grandmother. 
I took a sewing class on Sunday to make a "hipster bag".  I can sew the basics but just needed some help.  The class ended up being just me and the instructor so it was awesome to have that much assistance with questions.  The funny thing is as she was giving me pointers so many memories came back to me from spending the weekend with my Grandmother.  I had a plastic toy machine that I could pretend sew with when I was younger and when I got older I can remember just sewing lines in fabric.  I don't think I actually made anything though.  I think I was a better "helper".  I would cut the loose threads and things like that. I can remember her sewing room like the back of my hand...
Anyway.... it was just an overall neat experience (but I will say did make me a bit homesick and ready to come for a visit).  Here is the bag that I made.  Nothing too fancy but a great start

I LOVE YOU GRANDMOM!